Jorge Capestany - TennisDrills TV

Why Tennis is so Tough

From: Mental Toughness – Workbook for Tennis Jorge Capestany and Steve Hamming

Available at: www.tennis-workbook.com

You have chosen tennis as your sport and I think it is the best choice in the entire world. I love tennis because it helps develop so many valuable traits in a person that will help them succeed in life. No other sport is as great as tennis when it comes to teaching life lessons.

Here is one simple example; the life lesson of honesty. No other sport even comes close giving its players the opportunity to learn and practice this important value. In tennis, we serve as the umpires; we are the ones who call our opponent’s shots in or out. It’s all up to us! That is a staggering responsibility. In most other sports, the players are not expected to be honest. Imagine you “trap” a ball in baseball and do not really catch it, but the umpire says that you did catch it. What do you think most players, teams, and coaches would expect you to do? Tell the umpire the truth!? No way, in most cases that would lead to trouble. Now compare that with what we are expected to do in tennis. Here are ten reasons why tennis is the most psychologically demanding sport. (Adapted from USTA sports psychology guidebook for coaches.)

1) Tennis Is an Individual Sport
In tennis, you are alone on the court. No one shares in the glory or the blame. There is no teammate to pass off to if you are playing poorly, and you cannot be taken out of the game for a while to recuperate from poor play.

2) No Coaching Is Allowed
Tennis is one of the only sports where young players are not allowed to receive any coaching. Except for a handful of exceptions like high school tennis, Zonal teams, or Davis Cup, tournaments do not allow coaching. The no coaching restriction is unusual in and clearly forces young competitors to deal with the pressures and problems of play on their own.

3) There Are No Substitutes / No Time-Outs
Many sports allow players to regain their composure or get back on track with substitutions and time-outs. This is not the case in tennis. Players must stay in the game, regardless of how bad or uncomfortable it may be. This is particularly difficult when matches are two or three hours in length.

4) One-On-One Combat
Tennis is similar to boxing. You have a real one-on-one opponent that you must defeat to emerge victorious. A match can quickly become a personal confrontation between opponents, especially if one resorts to gamesmanship tactics. Such direct competition can fuel intense rivalries and threaten friendships between young players.

5) The Accuracy of Line Calling
Completely objective, professionally trained linesmen make mistakes all the time. They are motionless and concerned only with one line. Expecting players in a match to call the lines with the same accuracy is at best unrealistic. Balls traveling at speeds of over 50 miles per hour with fractions of an inch separating “out” from “in” provide distinct opportunities for conflict and controversy. Recent studies show that players are actually legally blind at the moment they land on the court when running. This is added to the fact that matches can be dramatically changed with only one bad call. It is easy to see why tempers can flare. (Imagine what would happen if the batters in little league baseball were responsible for calling balls and strikes against themselves!)

6) Constantly Changing Conditions
Changing temperature, wind, intensity of light, court surfaces, balls, altitude, indoor/outdoor play, and equipment add to the depth of the competitive challenge in tennis. Players are forced to deal with such changes, many times within the same match. Players’ responses to these situations can provide an indication of their level of mental toughness. Those who are not affected by changes in conditions are often the ones who win.

7) Length of the Battle
Few sports require young players to concentrate and perform for as much as three hours at a time. It is common for 12-year-old players to be required to compete in two singles matches and two doubles matches on the same day. Mental toughness and physical fitness become critical if a player is to become successful.

8) The Unique Scoring System in Tennis
The scoring system in tennis adds to the pressure a young player experiences. Unlike other sports, there is no overall time limit. Play continues until one of the players wins two out of three sets. Consequently, there is no room for coasting on a lead or waiting for time to run out. Each player is always just a few points from a complete turn-around, and a lead is never safe. As a contrast, if a basketball team is ahead by 30 points, they will almost certainly win because their lead is too large to overcome within the time of the competition. In tennis, a player can be ahead 5-0 in the third set, and lose two games and immediately have reason to fear a loss and a huge comeback by their opponent.

9)“Big vs. Little” And “Young vs. Old”
Another dimension of tennis is the fact that a nine-year-old child can successfully compete against a 14- or 15-year-old teenager. A young girl of 14 may be capable of beating a seasoned veteran on the pro tour. Small can beat large and young can beat old. A 12-year-old boy losing to a 9-year-old or a 6’3” boy losing to someone half his size can be extremely stressful.

10) Tennis Training Can Be Extremely Expensive
Tennis training for the competitive player can be a very large expense for a family. The pressure from these expenses can add additional stress to young players who feels guilty for not winning because of all the money their parents are putting into tennis. Parents can quickly lose site of what is important and begin to expect a “return” for their investment. This issue is one of the most frequently mentioned by families with players competing at high national levels.

Jorge Capestany - TennisDrills TV

Jorge is the Founder of www.tennisdrills.tv - a video based website that shows more than 700 videos of tennis drills and tips. Jorge is one of only nine people world-wide that is a Master Professional with both the USPTA and PTR. Jorge is a 6-time Michigan Pro of the Year a 2-time Midwest Pro of the Year. Jorge has coached hundreds of ranked juniors including 3 national champions.